


All the Ways

by Aiden_Ravelle, AnkhsAngel



Category: Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25599394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aiden_Ravelle/pseuds/Aiden_Ravelle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnkhsAngel/pseuds/AnkhsAngel
Kudos: 4





	All the Ways

Co-written by Amy L./AnkhsAngel

How many ways are there in a hospital to kill yourself? The place meant for healing had so many dangers. Defibrillator to stop your heart. Medicine to overdose on. The scalpels for cutting. Plus, there was always the roof. The roof would probably be the best way, since the others could be reversed or fixed if found in time. But falling to the ground had a low survival rate..

Emu stared at his lunch, occasionally taking a bite as his mind raced.

“EMU!” Parad’s voice echoed angrily in his head.

“What?” Emu answered.

“I can  _ hear _ you!”

Emu winced, “Sorry..”

The bugster materialized, giving his host a disapproving look. “Why are you thinking that anyway?”

Emu shrugged and looked down, “Just crosses my mind every once and awhile..”

“Emu..” Parad wrapped his arms around the doctor. “I’m here to listen.”

Emu nodded slowly, “I’m sorry. I just.. life is hard sometimes. Not that I’m actively planning anything, just.. the thoughts are there occasionally.”

Parad nodded with a sad look. “Humans are lucky though. They have the choice.”

Emu frowned, “What do you mean?”

Parad shrugged. “You humans have the choice to die. We bugsters don’t really. We can’t do any of the things you were thinking about. We’re either deleted by someone else, die fighting if our health runs out, or use a vaccine on ourselves.”

“I’m sorry..”

Parad sighed. “Someday I’m going to be alone. I mean Poppy will be around, but all of you.. All of you will die. I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“You’ll make new friends. They might not be able to replace us, but they’ll care about you like we do.”

“I don’t want new friends! I want you to stay with me forever...but it’s impossible..” Parad vanished, tears on his cheeks.

_ “I’m sorry. If I could change things, I would.”  _ Emu thought to his partner.

_ “I hate being a bugster.. It causes nothing but pain..” _

_ “If I could make myself one so I could stay with you forever, I would.” _

Parad sent a burst of love over the bond, then went quiet.

“Ace, want to explain why the gemedeus vaccine gashat just went missing?” Kiriya tapped Emu on the shoulder.

Emu went pale before focusing on Parad,  _ “Are you okay? Please don’t do anything stupid.. I care about you..” _

There was no answer.

Emu stood and rushed from the room, searching for anywhere he thought Parad might be.

Parad sat staring at the gashat in his hand, his eyes unfocused as he remembered the last time he’d used it. He hadn’t hesitated, knowing it would make life safe for all his friends. Now… now he hadn’t even consciously thought. Just teleported in and grabbed it. He sighed, squeezing his hand around it. 

Emu finally found his bugster, slowly approaching. He sat down beside him quietly and just said, “Hey.”

“Hey.” Parad’s eyes didn’t move from the gashat.

“You know you can talk to me more, right? About how you’re feeling? If you need it..” Emu sighed.

“I was watching you last night. And it occurred to me that one day you were going to go to sleep and not wake up… And it terrifies me. Terrifies me more than Cronus did. The idea of a world without you in it…” Parad trembled visibly.

“I know. And I’m sorry. If I could change things, I would. But I don’t know how..” Emu sighed. “I guess the important thing is to spend the time we have together, because if you just focus on death the whole time, you won’t get to enjoy the good times.”

Parad took a deep breath. “I just don’t want to be apart. Six years was more than enough for me.”

“I’ll try to live as long as possible. Maybe we’ll make some breakthroughs to extend our lives longer.” Emu then smirked, “But you know when I get old you’re going to have to deal with helping me.”

Parad smirked. “Baby food and diapers are pre ordered.”

Emu laughed, “Good. Are you feeling a little better?”

“Shouldn’t that be my question? Your list got this all started.” Parad stuck his tongue out.

“I’m a bit better,” Emu nodded.

“Good.” Parad looked down at the gashat quietly.

Emu held his hand out, “I’ll go put it away for now, okay?”

The bugster forced himself to relinquish it with averted eyes.

“I care about you, Parad. I know things won’t always be perfect, but let’s enjoy our time playing together as long as we can.”

Parad nodded, looking up with a small smile. “Are you still working?”

Emu glanced at the time before smirking, “If I make Poppy file my paperwork then I’m done..”

“Could we play after?”

“Of course.” Emu held out a hand to help the bugster up.

“I’m sorry.” Parad embraced him.

“I’m sorry too.”

“Loser has to cook for the next week.” The bugster whispered with a smirk.

“Deal.”

“Meet you at home.” Parad vanished.

Emu gave a small smile to the spot Parad had been standing in before heading back to work.


End file.
